At the small town of lilt, which furnished the bitu men of which the walls of Babylon were built, a bridge of boats is thrown across the Euphrates, for the conve nience of the caravans of Bagdad and Aleppo. 'There is a bridge of 15 arches at the town of A rgish, three clays journey horn Van, situated on the north-west side of the lake of the same name, which is about 168 miles in cir cumference, but whose water is so brackish as to We unfit for use.
It is well known that the Euphrates divided the city of Babylon into two equal parts, flowing through it from north to south. Its banks were faced with bricks, the inhabitants descending by steps to the water, through small brass gates in a lofty- wall, parallel with the river. Semiramis threw across a bridge of five furlongs in length, and 30 feet in breadth, to connect the two quar ters of the city, and erected a palace at each end of the bridge. These palaces communicated with each other, by means of a vaulted passage cut under the bed of the river, for which purpose an immense lake was dug, into which its waters were turned. The course of the river, Kinncir remarks, might casliv be diverted, as the banks of the Euphrates rise above the level of the adjoining plain; but, as he acids, it is difficult to conceive how it could be confined within the compass of an artificial lake, without inundating the surrounding country, or forcing a passage to the sea. The waters of the Eu phrates were again diverted by Cyrus, when he took Babylon. Taking advantage of a great festival held in the city, and when all its inhabitants were immersed in debauchery and revelling, he posted a part of his troops, destined for the attack, on that side where the Euphra tes entered the town, and another division on the side whence it issued out, giving orders that they should en ter the city by marching along the bed of the river, as soon as they found it fordable. In the evening, he caused the great receptacles and canals above and be low the town to be opened. By this means the Euphra tes was discharged, and its natural channel left dry. The enterprize was greatly facilitated, and, perhaps, solely accomplished, in consequence of the negligence and disorder of the city, as that night the gates of brass which shut up the avenues from the river to the town were left open.
When Kinneir examined the ruins of Babylon, he mentions particularly a pyramid, six miles south-west of Hillah, called .Nimrood by the Arabs, about 50 feet
in height, from whose summit the windings of the Eu phrates may be traced through the level plain of Sid nal., Villages and orchards are seen to line its banks, while a few hamlets, interspersed here and there on the desert, appear like spots on the sot face of the ocean. Though the Euphrates flows through one of the most productive regions of the earth, the pernicious policy of the Turk renders unavailing the bounty of nature, the baneful influence of despotism couverting fertile plains into sterility, and the habitation of wild beasts. On those banks where once flourished the proudest cities of the world, now languish comparatively insignificant towns; where luxury and abundance were universally diffused, a scanty pittance is now gathered; and where mighty conquerors have contended for kingdoms, the wander ing Arab of the desert now vindicates his spoil. But the whole extent of country along the banks of the Eu phrates must not be included in this picture of desola tion. The description of Armenia, through considera ble part of which this river flows, appeared so delight ful to the imagination of poetry, that Milton has fixed here the terrestrial seat of paradise.
The borders of the Euphrates between Korna and Shukashu produce dry grain in abundance, and the ter ritory of the Alghazil Arabs, a low marshy tract, form ed by the expansion of its waters between Lemloon and Samavat, is celebrated for its crops of rice. There is an excellent breed of horses on the banks of this river, in the district inhabited by the tribe of Montefidge, great numbers of which have lately been exported to India, by Mr Manesty, the British resident at Bussora. A very high bred horse, however, is difficult to he pro cured, even at Bagdad or Bussora, and will fetch from 1200 to 3000 piastres, or from about 1201. to 300/. ster ling.
In noticing the mouth of the Euphrates, we shall at tend chiefly to what Kinneir says on the subject. This has given occasion to a great deal of discussion. Dr Vincent has bestowed much pains and argument in elu cidating the matter, and D'Anville has been led into gross mistakes, from ignorance on some particular points of inquiry. But Kinneir having been encamped for six months on the banks of the Karoon and Hafar, must he supposed, from his intelligence, and opportunity of in vestigation, eminently qualified to give correct informa tion, and to settle disputed points.